Monthly Archives: August 2015

Put this date in your diary – SUNDAY September 13th12-5pm for a POP-UP PICNIC up on the Brighton Greenway.

We’ll be in the area behind Boston Street, accessed either from New England Road (stairs up embankment, over the iron railway bridge) or from Stroudley Road (just down from Jury’s Inn hotel). Bring food and drink to share, and something to sit on.

At 3pm, there’ll be a guided walk from Brighton Station cycle hub along the Greenway to London Road Station, focusing on historical aspects of the area and exploring two community gardening projects. It’s part of Brighton’s Heritage Open Door weekend. You can book here …

Come and find out more about this Site of Nature Conservation Interest, site of 19th century railway heritage and (potentially) lovely pedestrian walkway between Brighton Station and New England Road/Preston Circus.

Last week we had a great time propagating at the station (hmm, perhaps a comment more worthy of London Road Station’s slightly naughty alter ego @LRBstation).

It’s a great way to ensure a stock of plants for the next season because it’s free. We’ve done it before, but this time, we’ve recorded our demonstration of propagating techniques – probably the first time it’s ever been done at the station! Click here to view.

Summary of the basic steps

Softwood cuttings – for tender perennials and shrubs

First, get your sprigs from the ‘mother’ plant. Choose – preferably – a non-flowering healthy-looking shoot of around 8-10cm. Cut above a leaf node so that the ‘mother’ plant grows on happily.

Prepare your cuttings. Cut just beneath a leaf node because this is where the growing hormones are concentrated. Remove any lower leaves which might rot as the plantlet tries to establish itself. Place cutting…

From Steve Parry via Withdean LAT-

The following petition was published on the Council Website on the 13th August. It is simultaneously being sent to all LATS, groups concerned with community safety, and the local media as well as being posted on the St James’ Street and Kemp Town Community Facebook page. Local people are urged to support and share as widely as possible.

For it to be discussed at the full Council Meeting on 22 October it requires the support of at least 1,250 local citizens.

We the undersigned petition Brighton & Hove Council to express support for ‘Neighbourhood Policing’ and to oppose decisions by the Police and Crime Commissioner, together with senior officers of the Sussex Police, to reduce the number of police officers delivering local policing. Brighton & Hove City Council is also requested to confirm its policy on, and commitment to, Local Action Teams (LATs) as initially agreed by Cabinet on 21 May 2009.

Justification:
Katy Bourne, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner has confirmed there will be 700 fewer police officers delivering local policing over the next 5 years, and a further 300 posts elsewhere in the force will go. In particular, Sussex will lose more Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). 58 (out of 347) have already left and there are another 69 to go. The police often don’t have the time to attend Local Action Team meetings and accountability to local communities is being lost. A significant change in policy is being implemented without consultation and against the clear wishes and needs of local citizens.

I can add nothing of further value other than to say that unless our City Council is willing to demand that local citizens have a right (and responsibility) to hold their Police Force accountable and explicitly state what are the Community’s priorities we cannot describe our society as just and civilised.

Please can we have five minutes of your time …

Brighton & Hove City Council and Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival have been awarded funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to develop their joint vision to revitalise the Royal Pavilion Estate.
The long term ambition is to reconnect the historic buildings and landscape of the Estate and to create a centre for heritage, culture and the performing arts which reflects the unique spirit of Brighton.

The Royal Pavilion Estate encompasses the Royal Pavilion, Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, Royal Pavilion Garden and all the Brighton Dome venues; Concert Hall, Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre. The first phase of the project focuses on Brighton Dome’s Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre.

I took the plunge and summer pruned our cordoned fruit trees last week. They were looking very leafy and rather unruly – but then I feel plants should be allowed some independence. Which is probably why I’ve put it off for a while. Pruning is a bit like being taken to the vet – they don’t like it, but it’s good for them. The trees were showing some lovely fruit, and fruiting requires huge energy so cutting back leafy unproductive growth should be a help not a hindrance.

It’s just that the fruit trees in our care – the station garden mini-orchard cordons of apples and pears, our plum and my own miniature apple, plums and cherries – refuse to grow like in the gardening books. The books show well-behaved trees (the kind that don’t miaouw and scratch the vet) growing at the proper angle with a satisfying, well-proportioned shape.